[Top 15] D&D Best Druid Wild Shapes (Ranked)

Updated:

01 Jul 2023

Drawing their mystical powers from nature, druid’s powers are geared towards manipulating the elements, animals, life, and decay.

Druids are one of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragon's most iconic classes, ranking fairly high in the community’s fan favorites to bring down the power of tooth and storm upon the battlefield.

Shape changers.

While druids are mainly a spellcasting class, keeping to the edge of battle as they call down the wrath of nature, others transform into deadly beasts and savagely wade into combat.

Through their reverence of nature, druids not only gain spells but other magical powers, the ability to assume the shape of an animal being the signature class feature that truly lets these gluten-free champions carve their own.

Starting at 2nd level, the Wild-Shape feature lets you assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. As an adventurer, the number of animals you’ve come upon is bound to increase exponentially, so it can be a daunting task to choose the best creature to turn into in a situation.

Worry not my fellow tree-hugger, for tonight we discard the ways of civilization and connect with our spirit animals to talk about the best druid wild shapes in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons!

15. Draft Horse.

The animal kingdom is filled with savage murder machines and stealthy creepers, but sometimes what the situation requires is getting from point A to point B as fast as possible.

While it's seldom the first thing to come to mind, a druid turning into a Draft Horse can become the perfect getaway vehicle for up to two average-sized party members while having a whopping 18 Strength.

What the Draft Horse Excels In.

High Mobility: A Draft Horse has a 40 feet movement speed, this means that you can not only move faster but also carry your companions through the field.
Horse Power: While far from being the optimal choice for combat, Draft Horses can hit as hard, if not harder, than a melee-oriented player at lower levels.

Draft Horse details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Draft%20Horse

14. Wolf.

Common enough that most druids have seen them at least once, wolves are ferocious predators that work wonders in packs: Just like an adventuring party.

Coupling advantage on perception checks that rely on hearing or smell with advantage on melee attacks when an ally is within 5 feet of the target makes this an excellent choice for those who want to gang up on their foes.

What the Wolf Excels In.

Teamwork: Wolves get advantage on attacks against creatures within 5 feet of an ally, making this even better with a chance of knocking them prone. This means you not only benefit from playing with your allies but they are rewarded every time you do.
Scouting ahead: With their proficiency in stealth and advantage on most perception checks, wolves are perfect for stalking prey undetected.

Wolf Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Wolf#content

13. Octopus.

Fantastic for stealth operations beneath the deep blue sea, octopus gets darkvision and amazing stealth underwater combined with a reliable escape mechanism if you get caught!

Far from an optimal combat choice, the octopus’s real potential comes out underwater and for espionage.

What the Octopus Excels In.

Under the Sea: Underwater, octopi get advantage on Stealth checks, this, coupled with their proficiencies, make them perfect spies to figure out the evil mermaid’s plan.

Octopus Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Octopus#content

12. Giant Toad.

Packed with enough Hit Points to withstand a beating and strong legs to jump from foe to foe, the Gian Toad is an excellent combat form that provides amazing crowd control.

As a CR 1 beast, only Moon druids will get access to it before 8th level, the Giant Toad can grapple and swallow medium or smaller targets, perfect for locking down foes early in the fight.

What the Giant Toad Excels In.

Crowd Control: As long as you focus on one target, the Giant Toad can lock down its prey with its bite & swallow combo, delivering plenty of damage and disabling a foes’ moves.
Amphibious: With a powerful leap and a 40-foot swim speed, you can deal with a variety of obstacles to come on top.

Giant Toad Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Toad#content

11. Dire Wolf.

An amazing all-rounder. Dire wolves have an AC of 14 and are, essentially, a much more powerful form of the wolf.

With a 50 feet speed and a powerful bite, you’ll become the ace team player when you pounce on your prey and rip them apart!

What the Dire Wolf Excels In.

Tag Team: Decent damage, advantage on attacks against foes adjacent to allies, and the ability to knock them prone after every attack turn you into a battlefield disaster.
Sturdy: With an AC of 14 and 37 Hit Points, Dire wolves come out on top when it comes to combat prowess when compared to most other beasts of equal CR.

Dire Wolf Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Dire%20Wolf#content

10. Giant Constrictor Snake.

Accessible only for Moon druids of at least 6th level, Giant Constrictor Snakes work like Giant Toads in steroids. White a powerful attack that restrains its targets, this powerful beast can turn many encounters into a joke.

What the Giant Constrictor Snake Excels In.

Battlefield Control: Not only can you constrict foes, but your bite attack also has a reach of 10 feet, dealing some serious damage to anyone who dares come your way.
Feel your way: While it's only 10 feet, Blindsight lets you automatically detect most foes simply by being near!

Giant Constrictor Snake Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Constrictor%20Snake

9. Ape.

While not as powerful as the dire wolf, apes are full of neat things that make them stand out.

For starters, they get a multiattack action and are one of the few beasts to even get a ranged attack.

As if it weren’t enough, apes have opposable thumbs, letting them manipulate items other animals can’t!

What Apes Excel In.

Return to Monkey: The ability to manipulate items is stellar while in animal form, you can use weapons, use consumables, and more.

Ape Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Ape#content

8. Giant Vulture.

This is the best flying beast you can turn into unless you’re a 9th level Moon Druid.

Giant Vultures are superior to Giant Eagles in almost every way, dishing out decent damage while swooping down from the skies!

What Giant Vultures Excel In.

Tactical dive bomber: Giant Vulture’s only weakness is their low AC, however, a cast of Barkskin before wild shaping can fix that. Now you can swoop in and out of combat to get your carrion!
Birds-eye view: Giant Vultures get an advantage on most perception checks, pair this with their 60 feet flying speed and you can now scout large distances.

Giant Vulture Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Vulture#content

7. Giant Boar.

If you’re in for a long fight, Giant Boars can pull through with their great endurance and ability to charge at foes for extra damage!

With their Relentless feature, you can stay fighting longer and pierce through your enemies with ease.

What the Giant Boar Excels in.

Breaking the lines: With the charge ability, you can break through enemy formations, dealing decent damage and turning the tide of battle.
Endurance: Their ability to turn a hit that would reduce them to 0 Hit Points into one that takes them to 1 instead is valuable for drawn-out fights in which you need to conserve your wild shapes.

Giant Boar Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Boar#content

6. Quetzalcoatlus.

The master of hit and run tactics, this huge dinosaur bloats the sun as it dives to end the life of its foes.

Thanks to its flyby feature synergize perfectly with their Dive attack, guaranteeing the extra damage that practically doubles your output.

What the Quetzalcoatlus Excels In.

Hit and Run: Thanks to its amazing flying speed and constant damage output, you can harass your enemies as a giant dinosaur!
Giant Vehicle: As a huge beast, you can accommodate several allies on your back, becoming a portable high ground of death.

Quetzalcoatlus Details: https://www.aidedd.org/dnd/monstres.php?vo=quetzalcoatlus

5. Giant Octopus.

Unlike its smaller counterpart, the Giant Octopus can deliver some serious punishment against foes who are 15 feet away!

Even though it’s a large creature, giant octopi retain their spying abilities thanks to a good stealth score and permanent advantage on it while underwater.

What Giant Octopi Excel In.

Size Matters: Giant Octopus share all of the benefits of a normal octopus, but better. You can now become your favorite eight-armed aquatic friend, but deadlier!

Giant Octopus Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Octopus#content

4. Giant Scorpion.

Hands down the best combat wildshape you’ll get at level 9 as a Moon druid.

Giant Scorpions get it all: Good AC, a plethora of Hit Points, and a whopping three attacks per turn!

What the Giant Scorpion Excels In.

With blindsight of 60 feet, those sneaky foes will never take you with your guard low. You are now a walking tank that no invisible foe can escape from.
Amazing damage: While each attack, individually, doesn’t do much, getting three of them on a turn (two of them can grapple foes) is an amazing deal as it multiplies your chances to crit!

Giant Scorpion Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Scorpion#content

3. Giant Crocodile.

Massive, powerful dead machines, Giant Crocodiles can tear a foe apart with their bite, denying them escape with an automatic grapple!

While grappled this way, foes are also restrained. This means you and your allies can get advantage on your attacks!

What the Giant Crocodile Excels In.

Locking down foes: A powerful bite of 3d10 + 5 mixed with an automatic restrain is nothing to scoff at. This becomes even better once your foes have to waste their action to try and escape!
Of land and the sea: With a great swim speed of 50 feet, Giant Crocodiles can be even deadlier on the right battlefield.

Giant Crocodile Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Giant%20Crocodile#content

2. Mammoth.

It's best to check with your Dungeon Master if these beasts would be something you have found, however as an 18th level Moon Druid is fairly possible.

These elephantine behemoths have more than 100 Hit Points, +10 to hit, and heavy-hitting strikes, easily becoming the designated tank in most situations.

What the Mammoth Excels In.

Giving as Much as it takes: Thanks to their +7 Strength modifier and Huge size, each of a mammoths’ blows can shave away a large portion of a creature’s Hit Points, and, thanks to you being a Moon Druid, resistance to non-magical damage is long ignored at this level.
Durability: With 126 Hit Points the amount of punishment these creatures can withstand is undoubtedly a blessing, easily cushioning your Hit Points when facing heavy-hitting foes.

Mammoth Details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Mammoth#content

1. Elemental Wild Shape.

Circle of the Moon druids peak at 10th level when they gain the Elemental Wild Shape feature.

By spending both uses of Wild Shape, you can assume the form of the embodiment of fire, water, air, or earth. Each of these creatures has resistance to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage.

Additionally, every elemental has an additional form of movement and set of skills tied to their element, so you can always choose what is most convenient.

What the Elemental Wild Shape Excels In.

Versatility: Since you can choose what elemental to turn into, you are not stuck with a single gimmick, but can mix and match to adapt to every situation that comes up.
Great Defense: Each elemental has a decent AC and large pool of Hit Points that, combined with their resistances, essentially doubles.

Elemental Wild Shape Details: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/air-elemental, https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Fire%20Elemental, https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/water-elemental, https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Earth%20Elemental

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Jose M.

Born in a land where the sun forever blazes comes a man with an undying love for gaming, Jose enjoys nothing more than spinning tales about the multiverse of creativity to captivate and inspire.

Gamer Since:

2008

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World of Warcraft

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Dragon Age: Origins, Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dragonborn

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